Monster Hunter: The Awakening
by Dreamy Ghost
Summary: A story of two young boys who finally decide that it is their destiny to become Monster Hunters. But what happens when something only spoken of in legends decides to show itself to the world for another apocalypse? Will they rise up to meet the challenge? Or will they be burnt to ash along with the rest of the world? It's up to you to find out! Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1: To be a Monster Hunter

_A time of darkness shrouded in mystery that hides behind the falling ash of a once fluent kingdom, Castle Schrade. None who recall the unspeakable events that occurred upon these very tarnished grounds will ever truly forget what happened before the eyes of an entire civilization: The End Times._

A thousand years ago to this day, a prosperous and hopeful city of heritage and memory was sent up in flames in the span of a single day by the Legendary Black Dragon. There was no warning, no foresight, no prediction and no time to avoid the thousands of casualties that would lay a thick cloud of human ash into the skies of Castle Schrade.

A single day in the continuous life of Minegarde that would become the one memory to be carried in every bloodline, yet desired to be forgotten in spite of howling nightmares true to the event. In one fell swoop an enormous, black dragon with the fury to make the heavens tremble sent a fiery wake through the lively city of Castle Schrade. As if all signs of life were torn from the face of the earth a thick cloud of ash rose from the ground, and it continues to dwell in the dark skies of the long forgotten city. The wrath of the falling darkness through evil wings of the end times disappeared for a thousand years and left no more than black skies and scorched earth….

"Where did you find that…?" Leon said with a sincerely baffled expression.

"It was in the basement of the gathering hall with all of the scrolls and books. You know; the place where the village chief keeps telling us not to go?" Shade said with a grin.

Leon stood up from where he was sitting. He and Shade had been sitting on the small dock in the center of the village where the hot spring was. The gentle current of the hot water created by the waterwheel against their feet was soothing in the cold mountain temperature of the village. Pokke was a peaceful home. But, like other places in the world, it has a legacy.

"You really shouldn't go down there if he tells you not to." Leon mumbled while slipping his shoes back on.

Shade chuckled, "Well you have to admit. It's a bit boring around here at times. Don't you ever have a thirst for action, Leon?"

"Well, yeah, of course!" Leon said with obvious doubt behind his words.

The distinct sound of swords and armor clanking together echoed past them as they walked past the training school near the gathering hall. Shade and Leon had both longed to become brave Monster Hunters since they were very young boys. Now at the age of seventeen, they were both searching for what they truly wanted. But only after a rash change of heart would it present itself to them.

The two of them made their way into the gathering hall to eat. Naturally like friends, they covered the expenses for each other every other visit. It was Shade's turn to pay for grub and drinks. Food was very affordable to them because of their day jobs.

"I'll have two Kelbi legs and two spiced Mosswine milks, please; extra mountain herbs in one, please!" Shade said to the lady that served hunters in the hall. She smiled and walked away.

It wasn't typical for two young boys to be eating and spending time in the gathering hall, but it made them feel more like hunters by spending time there. Shade and Leon would sometimes pester the hunters and ask them about monsters and equipment. They wanted to become Monster Hunters more than anything else in the world, but at the same time they hesitated to do so.

Leon had been saving all of his earnings from working his day job because he was thinking about buying a set of equipment from the blacksmith. His job only earned him about 50z each day, and the set of armor he desired started at 900z per piece. Luckily he had been saving for the past year now and was closing in on his goal. But Leon didn't know what he truly wanted to do. Perhaps buying hunter equipment was a waste of money. Shade had also been saving his earnings for the same reason, but he too did not quite know what he was going to do. A specific item at the blacksmith was tempting Shade to buy hunting gear. A hunter had recently sold a novice light bowgun called Valkyrie Fire and it was stronger than anything Shade could hope to buy from the shop. The blacksmith only wanted 1,500z for it.

Although Leon did not have parents, Shade had a mother. His father, now dead for many years, was an expeditionary traveler who died shortly after returning from his last expedition into Minegarde. He was struck with an illness that they could not cure with all of their ailments in Pokke. He passed away proud of his family and his achievements. Although his real name isn't Shade, he always felt as though he was forever in the shadow of his father; destined to adventure. His real name is Nicholas. Leon's mother and father had both died while on their way back to Pokke with trading supplies. It's a dangerous business to be a merchant of Pokke. The road into the mountains is full of beasts that hunt in packs and attack humans without hesitation; and as such conditions apply, Leon's mother and father were slaughtered by monsters while returning home. Not having a mother or father pushed Leon to question his existence. He often wondered if he would be better off being a hunter. But neither Shade nor Leon knew what would become of them if they became Monster Hunters. It was hard work indeed. Being a hunter involved throwing your life on the line every day in order to protect your village and family. In a sense, all of Pokke was a big family. Everyone knew and cared for each other. Well…. Almost everyone.

Shade and Leon had both finished their plates and drank their mugs clean after a satisfying meal. The woman came back and Shade handed her 120z to pay for their food and beverages. Shade folded his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair stuffed full of Kelbi meat and spiced Mosswine milk with extra mountain herbs. He let out a long, content sigh. But Leon's mind was someplace else.

"Man, I'm not fond of those cats but they sure can cook!" Shade said with a grin almost losing balance in his chair.

Leon smirked, "Definitely."

"You look like you have a lot on your mind right now. Don't tell me that story has you freaked out still. It was just a story!" Shade said while patting Leon's shoulder. But Leon didn't have the legend of Castle Schrade on his mind.

Monster Hunter Theme Stars Playing watch?v=ssYwqeDwhcQ

After hearing the sound of equipment entering the gathering hall from outside the village, three proud hunters came walking through the double doors that lead out into Minegarde. The hunter in the center was clad in red armor that made him look like a Rathalos. He wore an enormous iron greatsword on his back with red stains painted down the edge of the blade. The hunter on the right was a gunner. She was wearing Rathian armor with unique headgear that appeared to have goggles for increased precision. The bowgun on her back was red like a Rathalos. The hunter on the left was wearing black belt gear with a sword and shield that resembled a Velocidrome. The blade looked just as sharp as the monster's claws. Leon watched them proudly collect their reward and it suddenly snapped into his brain.

"Let's do it." He muttered.

"Hm?" Shade said with a puzzled expression.

"What are we waiting for! Let's do it!" Leon shouted as he slammed his hands down onto the table.

Shade's expression didn't change. First he looked over at the hunters, then back at Leon.

"You mean them?" Shade said in confusion.

Leon stood up violently, "Yeah! Why can't we be great like them? There's nothing holding us back in this world. I mean, just look at them! That could be you and me, right? Let's do it!"

Shade didn't know what to say. Leon's arms remained pressed against the table as he continued watching the hunters. Shade's eyes kept wandering over to the three heroes in all of their proudness. They were sitting at a table on the other side of the hall bashing their mugs together in excitement from a successful hunt. The smiles on their faces told him that they truly were great.

Shade's eyes went back down to the table. He was staring into his empty mug. His eyes wandered over to the hunters, then back into his mug, then at Leon, then back to the table. Shade didn't know what to think. The first thing that came to his mind was how much money he had saved up to this point. He knew that he and Leon had been saving for a solid, difficult year. But for some reason he could not disagree with Leon's unexpected enthusiasm. Thoughts of his father wisped in and out of his head. Was he truly destined for adventure?

Leon's eyes were locked onto the three hunters. Even though he lived his life telling himself that he was unsure of his destiny, he knew that this was his true calling. Watching them enter the gathering hall completely expunged the doubt from his heart and cleaned him of hesitation. Leon was ready to step up and become a Monster Hunter. Now he only needed to be sure that Shade would follow him into their destiny.

The relatively subtle atmosphere was shattered as Shade slammed his mug onto the wooden table, causing heads to turn.

"You're right! What the hell are we doing here! Let's get out there and become what we were always meant to be!" He shouted as both of them balled up their fists tightly and slammed their forearms together in a friendly solute.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" An unfamiliar voice laughed as Shade and Leon turned their head towards it.

To their surprise it was the hunter clad in Rathalos armor with the greatsword. They hadn't noticed that he and his crew were standing just 10 feet away. They heard the whole thing.

"What's so funny?" Leon said with a serious expression.

He and Shade couldn't see the man's face through his helmet. They could only hear his laughter and it angered them.

"I admire your bravery, but where's your equipment?" The man said tauntingly.

Shade stepped forward aggressively. The hunter in black belt gear attempted to step forward as well but the hunter in Rathalos armor simply raised his arm to signal that there was no need. Shade stood right before the man.

"As a matter of fact, we're about to go buy it. What's it to you?" Shade said with an attitude.

The man laughed again, "So you aim to go buy equipment and then just wander out into Minegarde hoping to win your first battle?"

"Well…. No!" Shade defended himself.

The hunter raised his arms, grabbed a firm hold of his helmet and removed it gently to reveal his face. He had short, blond hair and heroic, blue eyes with an honest smile. He had an x-shaped scar on his left cheek and a single scar on his right cheek that looked similar.

"You're both brave" He said with assurance, "But what about your families? Wouldn't they worry?"

"I don't have a family to worry about me." Leon spoke up. His eyes were fixed on the hunter.

The female hunter suddenly spoke, "You mean you're all alone?" She said while removing her headgear.

Despite being a fearsome hunter, her voice was soft and graceful and she was beautiful. Her short, silver hair was spiked backwards and her eyes were a fiery green. You could tell how strong she was just by looking into them.

"Well, not entirely." Leon said while looking over at Shade.

"And what of you, hot shot?" The hunter in black belt snapped at Shade.

His smile said told us that he was unafraid of all. He fought fiercely with his sword and shield alongside the other two. He had dark hair and equally dark eyes that were full of confidence and truth.

Shade smirked at him, "I have a mother, and…." He paused.

"And?" The hunter continued.

"And my brother!" Shade said while grinning at Leon.

The three hunters looked confused amongst themselves.

Leon stepped forward and Shade threw his arm over his shoulder.

"This guy right here? He's my brother, even if he came from somewhere else."

The hunter in Rathalos armor smiled at them and stepped forward. He was standing directly over them now. He raised a hand and placed it firmly on Leon's shoulder.

"Well," He said, "Then you must understand that being a Monster Hunter is more than just wearing a sword and slaying anything you can find running around."

Shade and Leon nodded their heads in confirmation.

The hunter continued, "Being a Monster Hunter is about honor and pride. It's about protecting those you hold close in here." He said with a smile as he placed his finger on Leon's chest above his heart.

Leon looked at his hand and then looked back up at his face. His smile was encouraging and honest.

"Who are you….?" Shade said, baffled.

"The name's Odysseus!" He called out while raising his other arm and balling up his fist towards the ceiling.

"Odysseus?" Leon mumbled in confusion.

"Means 'he who gives and receives pain unto himself' and it was my grandfather's name." He said proudly.

The gunner stepped forward, "I'm Adria!" she called out with a smile.

The hunter in black belt armor removed his helmet and smiled, "The name's Teo."

Shade's eyes lit up, "Odysseus, Adria and Teo…. We're going to be just like you guys in no time!"

The three of them started laughing to themselves.

"Well then," Odysseus spoke out, "If you're going to be Monster Hunters by tomorrow then I guess I have no choice."

Shade and Leon looked at him puzzled.

"I'll just have to train you myself then." Odysseus said with a large grin.

"You mean you'll train us to be Monster Hunters just like you!" Leon shouted.

Odysseus said nothing. He nodded his head and smiled before balling up his fist and raising his forearm towards them. Shade and Leon looked at each other, then at Odysseus. Sparks were flying in the moment as they both bashed their forearms against his and cheered. The sound of their arms colliding with his armor echoed through the gathering all. It was going to be the start of something incredibly.


	2. Chapter 2: Geared and Ready

"Leon…. Leeeeooooonnnn…. Leon! Hey! LEON!"

Shade grabbed Leon's arm and began shaking him awake. Leon had drool running down the side of his face from a long and peaceful sleep. Something about their reassurance with Odysseus the previous day eased his conscience and put a new fire in his heart. They were ready to become great.

"Eh…. Heh? Uh-Yeah!" Leon snapped awake to Shade's commands while wiping his face off.

"Man, what were you eating in that dream?" Shade chuckled as he stood up and held his hand towards Leon.

Leon firmly grabbed his hand and was hoisted to his feet with a goofy, half-awake grin.

"We need to stop falling asleep by the water wheel." Leon said while scratching his head with a smile, "The spring is too peaceful. I could sleep all day and not even know it."

They both looked over at the training school in hopes that Odysseus, Adria and Teo would be there to greet them.

"You ready?" Shade said with a fiery look in his eyes.

"I was born ready." Leon said with an equally determined expression.

The two of them began walking towards the blacksmith with fearless determination. Shade pulled his money pouch from his waist. It was plump with hard earned profit from a painfully long year of saving. He held it out in front of his face with a satisfied smile.

Leon stopped with a surprised face as if he was forgetting something important. Shade stopped and turned around to the sound of Leon's halting steps with a confused face.

"Oh! Um…." Leon mumbled while quickly turning around and running back to the water wheel in the hot spring.

Shade began scratching the back of his head in confusion. Once Leon reached the dock he plopped onto his belly and plunged his arm into the water underneath the wooden dock.

"Everything alright?" Shade said.

To his surprise, Leon's arm emerged with a very thick rope. He began fishing the rope out of the water until it looked like there was something of weight on the other end. After a few seconds, a pouch made from cloth and Popo skin emerged from the water.

"Here we go! Can't forget this, right?" Leon said cheerfully.

"That's where you've been hiding your savings?" Shade asked.

"Mhm!" Leon said with a nod and a goofy smile.

"I mean, I guess nobody would think to look there, right?" Shade said while turning around and continuing to walk towards the blacksmith.

Once they arrived they could immediately hear the sounds of iron striking ore. It was the sound of Pokke's finest industry. There were many blacksmiths known to Minegarde, but Pokke's blacksmith was a man of great legacy and heritage. His name was Dante and he is one of the last remaining members in the bloodline of those who lived in Castle Schrade. His blood holds the secret of what could've possibly been the most tragically historical event in the world. But who knows? Perhaps it _was_ just a legend.

Dante was striking hard against his anvil with a large hammer made of solid dragonite ore. It was large and crafted only for the hands of experienced blacksmiths. The head of the hammer was easily the size of a young man's torso while the handle was just shorter than his own arm. Dante must have been incredibly strong to wield such an awesome tool every day.

Dante's head turned once he felt the presence of a customer. Once his head turned to see Shade and Leon he stopped striking the anvil and smiled.

"Boys! What brings you to my shop this morning?"

Both Shade and Leon presented their money pouches directly in front of him. Dante's eyes widened as he reached forward and grabbed both pouches. He held them in front of him for a moment before standing up from his work bench. He was a very lean man that stood seven feet tall and harbored enormous muscularity. His arms were covered in scars and he had a few on his face. Despite his intimidating stature, Dante was very gentle and peaceful with a soft voice. He meant only well for all who lived in Pokke.

"I see. That's it, huh? Looks like you boys are finally ready to go out into Minegarde and find your own destinies."

Shade and Leon both nodded simultaneously as Dante continued with a surprised look, "This is a lot of coin…. What exactly are you interested in?"

Leon stepped forward, "I need a full set of hunter armor and a pair of iron daggers, please!"

Shade was next, "I'd like a set of hunter gear as well, but instead of the blade user design I'd like the ranged battle design for bowgun users. I'd also like a battle cap and battle guards instead of the hunter cap and hunter guards too, please!"

Dante's expression was baffled but the expressions on their faces was completely serious and they weren't going anywhere without their equipment. He finally sighed and placed a firm hand on Shade's shoulder.

"You boys amaze me, you know that? It must've been difficult to acquire this money. So I won't disappoint you!"

Shade and Leon bashed their forearms together as Dante lead them into his shop. Different pieces of equipment littered the place. There were swords, hammers, lances and shields all over the walls. Different hammers lay next to different anvils and an enormous work oven burned loud and bright while being attended to by different workers. Not all of the workers were the same. There were a few felynes working here and there near the oven to keep it at the correct temperature for crafting. One of the larger, stronger men hoisted a glowing, smoldering blade straight from the open mouth of the oven. Shade and Leon could feel the heat of craftsmanship running past their faces as they continued following Dante deeper into his shop.

"Ah! Here we are!" Dante cheered as they came to a stop.

Shade and Leon both leaned outward so they could see around him. Dante was standing in front of his personal work desk. It was covered in scrolls and different specimens of ore. There were a few hammers on top of it as well. Dante began digging around through the different areas on its surface. Crafting equipment was a very intimate and advanced profession. Being a blacksmith was no easy life by any means. One could only imagine the amount of concentration and exploration required to thrive on this line of work.

"Found it!" Dante shouted, causing Shade and Leon to stagger back after their minds drifted over to his work desk.

Dante turned to face them with a small key in his hands. The key was very small and looked aged. Whatever ore it was made from had turned black over the years.

"Now let's go get your equipment, boys."

Shade and Leon continued following him once again. Dante lead them over to a small area in the back of the shop wear a large door lay firm against the ground and another door lay straight ahead. Dante stopped in front of the door in front of them and began unlocking it. Shade's eyes were fixed upon the trap door on the ground.

"What's down there?" He asked boldly.

"Hm?" Dante mumbled while turning his head to the side.

"Down there behind that door," Shade continued, "What's down that way?"

Dante hesitated to answer for a moment. His facial expression changed subtly into a distressed emotion. His eyes slowly wandered over to the door as if they were almost afraid to look at it. Distant cries of an unknown beast echoed in and out of Dante's mind every moment that his eyes stayed on the door. He finally regained himself and turned back towards the door in front of him.

"N-Nothing important…. Let's just get you guys geared up, alright?"

Shade and Leon said nothing. They exchanged puzzled looks and then followed Dante into the room. Once they were inside they were at a loss of words. They were standing in a room with armor sets decorating every wall. There was hunter armor, battle armor, leather armor, steel armor, guild knight armor and even a set of bone armor before them. Shade and Leon both began examining the different armors with baffled expressions.

Leon approached the set of hunter armor and placed both hands on the chest piece. He smiled to himself and felt the glory of the armor becoming one with his soul.

"This is it." He said to himself.

Dante walked over to Leon and stood next to him. He placed an expert hand on the armor, then on Leon.

"It's perfect." Dante said with a smile.

"Huh?" Leon looked up at Dante confused.

"It's perfect! You'll fit into this suit of armor like your normal cloths, boy. Good choice!"

Leon smiled and began taking each piece of armor off of the wall. He started with the helmet, then the chest piece. He put the tasset on next, then the leggings. He put on the vambraces last. Once he was fully equipped into the armor set he lifted the facial guard of the helmet to his crown and held his hands out in front of him, looking into his leather gloved palms. It was heavier than he expected. His body felt well-protected and the armor was warm.

"This is incredible!" Shade shouted from the other side of the room.

He was clad in the exact armor set that he spoke of before. His armor was similar to Leon's and different at the same time.

Dante smiled at them both and chuckled lightly to himself, "You boys ready for your weapons?"

"YEAH!" They both shouted at the same time.

Dante lead them back to the front of the shop. Their armor made them feel heavier, but they knew that their bodies would have to become used to the burden of defense and offense. Shade and Leon stopped once they reached the front of the shop again.

"What do you think?" Shade asked Leon while adjusting his battle cap to perfect comfort.

"This is incredible." Leon replied as he adjusted his vambraces.

Dante emerged from the weapons area and caught Leon off guard.

"Catch, boy!" He shouted as an unexpected item came hurling at him from the other side of the shop.

"OOF!" Leon stumbled while tightly catching the object against his chest with both arms.

"Ahahahaha! Nice reflexes. You'll need them to be sharp!" Dante greeted him.

Leon began examining the object. It was a scabbard made from monster hide and cloth with two handles protruding from one side.

"Well? Go on, boy. Give them a look see." Dante urged Leon with a smile and pointed to the handles.

Leon's eyes lit up as he grasped one of the handles tightly and unsheathed an iron dagger. He studied the blade in awe and his mouth gapped open as if he were under a spell.

"I just made those myself yesterday," Dante said while crossing his arms, "They're the sharpest set I've made in a long while and they have a vein of carbalite running through them so you don't have to worry about them breaking." He said with a proud smile.

Dante looked over at Shade while Leon's attention was fixed on the iron daggers.

"And what can I do for you?" He asked kindly.

Shade looked around the room for a moment before walking over to the weapons section himself.

"Hm?" Dante mumbled to himself while following Shade . Leon didn't move.

"Where is it….?" Shade asked lightly in the open.

"I can show you to the bowguns if you like, boy. Just say the word!" Dante called out while following Shade through the shop.

Shade stopped immediately after finding his prize. There it stood on the wall of new equipment: The Valkyrie Fire.

"That!" Shade shouted proudly while pointing directly at the bowgun.

It was a light model with graceful, green Rathian scales welded to its design. It was custom tuned with a long barrel for added power and a zoom scope for long range takedown. It was perfect for his taste.

"You mean the Valkyrie Fire?" Dante asked in disbelief.

"Of course," Shade shouted, "I've been looking forward to buying her for a long time now. I'm ready" he finished with an intense expression.

Dante approached the wall and gently removed the bowgun. It was too high for Shade to reach.

"Do you think you can handle a bowgun of this caliber so early?" Dante asked with doubt behind his words.

Shade's expression never changed. Despite how powerful the bowgun was for amateurs, he was determined to learn how to use it.

"Yeah…. That's the one." Shade reassured Dante.

Without hesitating further, Dante approached Shade and held the bowgun out towards him. Shade's arms gratefully accepted the bowgun. It was much heavier than it looked. Accompanied by his armor, the bowgun would prove a challenge to wield in battle. Shade's eyes wandered all up and down its structure. He admired the solid design and could feel the power of the Rathian flowing through every scale. It was his now. He would master it. He proudly hung the bowgun over the back of his shoulder by the strap like a Monster Hunter.

"Nice choice." Leon remarked while approaching them with his new daggers tightly fastened to his back.

"You look great!" Shade said proudly to Leon, who returned a smile as something came flying towards him from the other side of the room just like Leon.

"OOF!" Shade staggered as he caught an object in his arms against his chest.

"Hahaha," Dante laughed, "You're going to need that, boy!"

Shade looked down into his arms and proudly held a compact case of ammunition ready to be fired in battle. It was the second stage of the standard shot used by many hunters all over Minegarde.

The three of them proudly walked back to the entrance of the shop. Shade and Leon were both clad in equipment now and ready to head over to the training school to see Odysseus. They were now standing directly in front of the shop and looking over at the training school with Dante.

"You both look about ready," Dante said with his arms crossed as Shade and Leon began walking towards their destination, "But there's one more thing I can give to you before we part ways." He said softly.

Shade and Leon both stopped and turned around. Out of nowhere, 2 familiar objects collided with their chests as they both caught the items by reflex.

"OOF!"

"OOF!"

They both stumbled simultaneously and looked down into their arms to see their own money pouches still full of their earnings. Dante was smiling with his hands on his waist and his elbows out. They both looked up at him in shock. Dante started laughing hysterically at their expressions.

"But…. But!" Shade was interrupted by Dante, "Hush, boy. Great things happen to us all in our time. It's just a matter of when and where that we may never know." He said softly.

Shade and Leon both smiled and began heading over to the training school once again.

"You boys be careful! And learn well!" Dante shouted and started waving to them.

Shade and Leon kept walking. Leon raised his arm to signal a wave from behind.

Upon reaching the training school Shade and Leon saw many young hunters going through the most intense exercises. There were hunters with lances, heavy and light bowguns, swords and other equipment all over the place. They were all preparing to go out into the wilds and train for their future.

"Welcome!" Odysseus caught Leon off guard with a pat on the back, "Glad you could make it!" He finished with great pride.

"So you're really going to train us to be as great as you?" Shade asked with determination.

Odysseus chuckled lightly, "It is my new goal and greatest pleasure to train you boys to be fine hunters."

"Yes!" Leon slammed his forearm out in front of him. The three of them bashed their armored forearms together and the sound echoed through the area.

From across the training ground loud grunts and equipment clanking together could be heard from people sparring with one another. Shade heard footsteps approaching from the left.

"You boys look good." Adria said proudly in her gear.

She walked over to Shade and began examining him closely. It made him slightly embarrassed as their noses nearly touched while she was looking him up and down with a thumb on her chin.

"Good choice," She said with a smile, "While the hunter armor provides excellent defense and stays flexible the battle cap has goggles for increased precision and blocking the sun. The battle guards are lighter for better arm mobility. The only issue is weight, but I'm sure you'll get used to that."

Shade was baffled that she instantly saw his strengths and weaknesses within seconds of seeing his equipment. He couldn't even think of a response. Adria walked behind him and began examining his bowgun closely.

"Aaaah," she said with great interest, "The Valkyrie Fire! This is the female counterpart to my own bowgun. Did you know that?" She asked him.

"N-no…." Shade replied nervously while she still remained very close to him. He could feel her breath on his neck while she examined his bowgun.

"This is a very good bowgun," her words eased him and raised his confidence, "But you'll have to practice a lot if you want to tame her." Shade became nervous once again, but this time from her elite nature.

"Come with me, Leon! We're going to begin with some basic drills. You ready?" Odysseus called out proudly.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Leon called back and began following him.

"Come on, kiddo. Let's go." Adria said to Shade. She winked at him and gave him a playful jab to the ribs.

"Hey," Shade said back to her, "Where's Teo?"

Adria didn't stop walking, "He's right outside the village sparring with a few others. Combat training is his favorite."

"Oh. He must be really strong!" Shade said confidently.

"Teo?" Adria chuckled, "He's definitely strong. You should practice with him sometime."

"I'll bet I could take him on." Shade remarked.

Adria stopped and faced him, "Oh? You think so, hot shot?"

Shade's expression morphed into a surprised expression, "Uh…. Sure?"

Out of nowhere Adria raised her fingers to her mouth and whistled a unique, melodic tone towards the wall of the training school. Shade didn't know what to think. He began looking around surprised for a result to her whistle.

"WAAAAAH!" A sudden cry homed in on their location as a boy no older than Shade came crashing next to them from the other side of the training school's wall.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Shade stumbled back, "What was that? How did he get over that wall?"

Adria smiled and started walking again. From behind Shade came Teo. He held his hand out and helped the young man from the ground. He didn't seem to be in much pain but he was shaken up.

"Geez, Teo!" The boy cried out, "You didn't have to throw me over the wall of the training school!"

"HUUUUUH?" Shade's mouth gaped open and his eyes widened to the sight of Teo brushing his hands together and laughing at the boy.

Shade ran and caught up to Adria immediately, "TEO DID THAT?" He demanded frantically.

Adria laughed at him and kept walking, "Still think you can take him down, tough guy?"

"That's unbelievable!" Shade cried, "The wall is at least twenty feet high! How did he get so strong?"

Adria closed her eyes and smiled with reassurance, "Years and years of training with his best friends, I suppose. That drome sword he uses? That's his only weapon."

Shade listened intently to her words as she continued, "Teo is the youngest of us, but he's incredibly strong. That armor he wears represents the blood and sweat that he's sacrificed to be here today. He graduated at the top of his training school in his home village when he was eighteen years old with that very sword and shield. But he's not just physically strong!" Adria remarked with passion, "Teo has a very strong heart as well. He's loyal, trustworthy and absolutely nothing can scare him when the three of us are hunting together. If you could see him in battle you would understand just how strong he really is."

Shade was absorbing her words into his mind like oxygen into his lungs. He had never heard someone speak so highly of their crew before. Most of the hunters that he and Leon talked to in the gathering hall would bicker about how someone messed up during the hunt or how they're thinking about finding new members. People rarely had anything nice to say about their crew. Adria was different though. She truly appreciated her team, and that's why they were strong. Shade was learning one of his first lessons at this moment. It was something he would never forget.


	3. Chapter 3: Heart of Fire

"EERRRAAAAAAAGGGGH!" Leon roared out as he began a furious onslaught of blows towards Odysseus.

Odysseus had his greatsword locked in front of him like a shield blocking Leon's attacks. His sword was like a solid wall of defense against all attacks; a truly magnificent weapon. They had been training hard for the past week every day at the same hours. Leon and Shade were improving rapidly and were almost ready to go on their first hunt.

"Come on! Harder! If you can't get past my sword how will you get past the scales of a wyvern?" Odysseus lashed out at Leon.

Once Leon's attacks and movements slowed down from fatigue Odysseus slammed forward with the blunt side of his sword and knocked Leon hard to the ground. He landed on his back and dropped his blades. Before he could retrieve them Odysseus was holding his blade directly out in front of Leon's face with a completely outstretched arm. Leon sighed from exhaustion.

Odysseus smiled and lowered his weapon, replacing it with his open hand. Leon grabbed his hand and was hoisted up to his feet with ease. Odysseus was strong just like Teo. Shade and Leon could only imagine how powerful the three of them were together. It was an inspiring thought that drove them to keep training every day. They would become great no matter what.

The sound of gunfire echoed through the air.

"Ah, man! I only hit the mark on nineteen of them! Next time I'll hit all twenty perfectly." Shade said confidently.

"I think you're doing just fine." Adria said with a smile as she approached him.

Shade lowered his bowgun as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You guys are doing great," she said positively, "You'll become something incredible in no time if you keep this up."

Shade smiled and unloaded the shelling in his bowgun, then threw it over his shoulder by the strap. He removed his battle cap and wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was a long, solid week of training and he could feel himself becoming stronger. His aim was now almost deadly he was able to reload his bowgun with affective speed and minimal mistakes.

But it wasn't just his body that was growing. He was learning about beastery and the terrain as well. Adria was teaching Shade about different ammunition, their effects on monsters, as well as different species of plants, insects and their uses. Their minds were becoming stronger. They were learning the true essence of becoming Monster Hunters.

Shade and Leon had already gotten used to the weight of their new equipment. It was almost like wearing normal cloths now. Not that their armor sets were particularly heavy, but their strength and stamina had rapidly increased during the training. They were sharpening their skills and readying themselves for the world that waited beyond.

Odysseus, Adria and Teo awakened early the next morning. Odysseus was going to surprise them with their first quest. The gathering hall was lively and full of business. Hunters of all different ranks were leaving and entering accordingly. Hunters as young as Shade and Leon were there and some hunters with years of experience were on the move. Though the gathering hall was busy that day, it wasn't the only busy place in Pokke. The outside streets of the market were buzzing with business as well. A few strangers were gossiping about a rumor in the mountains. Apparently something killed a group of hunters, but they don't know what.

"I wonder what it was…." One citizen mumbled, "Maybe it was one of those nasty Giadromes…." Another one whispered, "I heard it was a pack of Blangos…."

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Teo asked Odysseus doubtfully after hearing the gossiping as the three of them walked past the market place.

"I have complete faith in them. There's nothing to worry about because we'll be right there with them." Odysseus replied. Teo was sure that Odysseus hadn't heard the rumors as they were walking to the hall.

Adria stopped reached into the bag located on the backside of her waist and exposed some money.

"I'll meet you guys in the gathering hall," she said, "We're going to need something to keep us warm. I'll cover it."

They both nodded in conformation and kept walking. This was something they all knew very well about the climate of Pokke even though it was not their home. Odysseus, Teo and Adria were from the village Southwest of Pokke called Kokoto. It was a mild climate village surrounded by a different terrain. It was local to larger jungles, swamps and deserts. However, both villages converged into the neutral zone inhabited by the most common wildlife: The forest and hills zone, which was a haven for all living creatures.

Once Odysseus and Teo reached the gathering hall Odysseus approached the guild master.

"Hi there! May I have the hunting request that I pre-planned yesterday, please?" He spoke kindly.

"Of course, brave hunter," she said with a giggle, "You're Odysseus, correct?"

Odysseus nodded his head in conformation and she went behind the large counter for a moment. She returned quickly and handed him a small piece of paper with a special stamp on it that symbolized permission from the guild to be on that hunt. Odysseus tucked the piece of paper into his tasset pouch.

"I don't know about this one, Odysseus." Teo said doubtfully with a dreadful expression as he looked around the gathering hall for other signs of rumors.

"Hm? What's wrong, Teo?" Odysseus asked.

"I…. Don't know," he mumbled, "I've been hearing some strange rumors around the village ever since we woke up this morning about a monster that slaughtered a group of hunters. They didn't confirm a species."

Odysseus listened to his words intently as he finished, "Odysseus, I have a strange feeling in my gut about this one. I know they'll be safe if they're with us, but I can't shake this feeling that we shouldn't go into the mountains. That's where the incident happened happened."

Odysseus placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Hey," he spoke softly as Teo looked back up at his eyes, "There's nothing to worry about. No matter what's up there we'll be there to protect them. We're strong when we're together. You know that!"

Teo smiled and placed his own arm on Odysseus' shoulder, "You're right. There's no need to worry. We're strong together!"

With all doubt now expunged they found a table and started drinking with other hunters.

"Leon! Get up!"

"Heeeeh…. Eh?"

"Leon! They're waiting for us at the gathering hall! Let's go!"

Shade and Leon both threw their equipment on and raced through the market to the gathering hall. Odysseus hadn't given them a reason to meet him there before so they were very excited. Upon reaching the hall, Shade and Leon were surprised to see so many hunters there. They didn't see it this active very often.

From across the hall Shade and Leon could see Odysseus and Teo drinking at a table and laughing with other people. They were easy to spot because of their equipment, but Shade and Leon had already built a natural bond with Odysseus, Adria and Teo. They could find them anywhere. It wasn't just a team or a partnership anymore. They were friends now.

"You guys look like you're having a good time." Shade said with a sarcastic smile to Teo.

"Boys! It's about time you showed up." Odysseus said brightly.

Odysseus and Teo weren't inebriated. They were just naturally goofy, given the right setting. It was good to see that some hunters could retain a sense of humor and a goofy personality despite their line of work.

Leon stepped forward with his face lit up with excitement.

"So what's the plan? I'll bet you have some kind of awesome hunt planned for us! Please tell me I'm right!" he said proudly while gripping the handles of his daggers, "Oh, oh! It's a Rathalos isn't it? No, wait- It's a-!"

"WHOA!" Odysseus slammed in hand down on the table and interrupted Leon. He then smiled and placed a hand lightly on his shoulder. Leon's face was confused as Odysseus stood up from the table.

Odysseus reached into the one of the pouches on his tasset and pulled out a piece of paper with unmistakable writing on it and smiled at both of them goofily. It was a clearly-drafted hunting request to slay a Bulldrome in the mountain range. The reward was 2,000z and of course whatever you salvage from the target beast.

Shade and Leon's faces were practically pressed against the paper as they examined it in awe.

A loud, "YYYEEEEEAAAAAHHHH!" followed as they bashed their armored forearms together and caused heads to turn.

"Hey now, calm down!" Teo snapped at them, "You're making a scene!"

Shade and Leon's faces were lit up with joy. Their eyes were twinkling and their mouths were gaping.

"Our first quest…." Shade drooled in excitement, "This is going to be so legendary!"

Odysseus stood up from the table and gave them a smile and a wink with his thumb sticking up.

"It's time you boys joined us on a hunt! So we're heading into the snowy mountains today!"

Shade and Leon both gave him blank looks and stared at him lifelessly. Odysseus lowered his arm in doubt and started scratching the back of his head.

"Eh…. Um…. You don't…. Want to?" He mumbled confused.

"Isn't the snowy mountain region ridiculously cold?" Leon asked with a straight face.

"Yeah," Shade began adding, "Last time I checked, you'll freeze your limbs off just from setting foot up there for more than a few minutes."

Right as Odysseus ran out of things to say and had no way of re-motivating them to join his hunt Adria approached, clad in her armor with a bag of supplies.

"Am I late?" She asked with a smart tone.

She reached into the bag and placed a small vial on the table. It contained a liquid that looked like pinkish-red water. There was only a small bit in the vial but she had multiple vials in her bag. Shade lowered his head down to the table and examined the vial closely.

"What's this?" He asked.

Adria gave him a solid pat on the back making him jump slightly and smiled at him, "This is what we're going to use to stay warm while we're in the mountains, unless there are any other objections?"

Shade and Leon stood up straight and shook their heads.

Odysseus leaned in towards her and mumbled, "Thanks," After she showed up at the precise time to regain control of their attitudes. Teo stepped forward and violently raised his shield arm directly at Shade and Leon. The three Velocidrome claws that protruded from its side stopped about 3 inches from their faces as they stumbled back nervously.

"I hope you boys are ready for this," He said with a smile, "The Bulldrome is a fearsome opponent and is _not _to be taken lightly. Got it?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

They both barked and nodded their heads like soldiers at once. Teo cackled and lowered his shield pleased, "Then what're we waiting for?" He asked sarcastically.

"Yes!" Odysseus called out with his fist rose towards the roof, "It's time to go! We've got ourselves a monster to hunt!"

Adria adjusted her head gear slightly and raised her guarded forearm towards all of them. It was the arm that served as a shield against onslaughts while firing shots. It looked like a severed Rathian tail welded to her arm. They all looked at her puzzled before she spoke out with a confident grin.

"Isn't this how you guys do it?"

Odysseus, Teo, Shade and Leon all returned her smile and the five of them slammed their armored forearms together in a proud team solute that echoed through the gathering hall as they made their way to the exit. Teo still couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his stomach, but then he looked over and the expression on Adria's face disturbed him. She looked distressed while she was strapping her bowgun to her shoulder.

"Hey," Teo stopped her, "What's wrong?" He asked.

When Adria looked into his eyes he could almost feel her nervousness and unease going through his skin.

"Just a chilling rumor I heard from some of the villagers in the market…." She said, "Apparently a group of young hunters were slaughtered by something yesterday and they still don't know what it was."

"You heard them too?" Teo snapped but Adria pulled him closer and shushed him quickly.

"I've got a weird feeling in my stomach right now, but we can't let those boys be scared the whole time on their very first hunt, got it?" She said to him under her voice, "They've been training with everything they have up until now. We can't let all of their effort and determination melt away over a rumor."

"Right. Odysseus already knows of the possible danger from what I've told him." Teo confirmed as they watched Odysseus, Shade and Leon exit the gathering hall. They both followed after them.

Once they had reached the pine hill leading from the village to the base of the mountain they began searching for the base camp. The air smelled fresh and mountain breeze was nice. The mountain range right outside of Pokke was great for hunting and exploring of all sorts. It was home to many different species of beasts, plants, insects and fish. The base of the mountain harbored a beautiful lake that reflected the northern lights at night. The field in front of the lake wasn't uncomfortably cold and it was a common feeding ground for Anteka and Popo. Exploring the base of the mountain was mostly safe and eventful. It was inside the mountain's ice caverns and at the summit of the peak that hunters should be worried about. Most of the time….

All five of them stuck close together as they neared the base camp step by step. The sinking feeling in Teo's gut began dying down as they went further towards the base of the mountain. He and Adria began easing up and believing that there truly was nothing to worry about. Upon reaching the area with the base camp Odysseus turned his head back to them conspicuously and nodded his head with a smile to symbolize that there was nothing to worry about after all. Teo and Adria returned his nod as Shade and Leon were paying close attention to their surroundings for climate and environment study. It would serve them well in the future.

But then the atmosphere around them shifted unexpectedly. There was a sudden gloom about the air that made Odysseus uncomfortable. He now had the same sinking feeling in his stomach as they walked around the final corner of the mountain's base and reached the base camp.

Odysseus immediately stopped walking and froze in position. His eyes were peering forward and he almost stopped breathing. Shade and Leon followed behind him and were struck cold with the same reaction as Odysseus. Shade's hands began quivering at his waist. Leon's breathing was intensified. Teo and Adria soon followed. Teo froze solid and couldn't fathom what he was seeing. The moment Adria's eyes became level she gasped and froze solid instantly.

The base camp was completely torn apart. Blood ran along the ground in sickening puddles. There were enormous gash marks going through the hide tent and the supply box was destroyed. Directly in front of their feet a young hunter no older than Shade and Leon lay torn in half at the waist. His spinal cord, inner tissue and organs were slewed across the ground violently. The expression on his face was horrifying. It was a face of death that no soul should have to bare upon death; a truly painful and agonizing end. His hands were still gripping his weapon. Another hunter lay in front of the hide tent. His stomach was completely devoured from the inside. His rib cage was shattered and bent inward as if the muzzle of a beast fed on his innards while he was alive. His left arm was missing at the elbow and his right leg was twisted and broken out of place at the waist. Flesh was everywhere but the odor of death wasn't present in the air. Their deaths were fresh, and that was the most frightening part of the situation for Odysseus. Whatever ripped these hunters apart and devoured them wasn't far away.

Shade fell to his rear and started quivering as his eyes met with the gaze of the hunter who lay torn in half at his feet. He could see himself in the reflection of lifeless, agonizing eyes of the young hunter. He crawled back a few paces and ran into Leon's legs. Leon wasn't handling the situation any better. He was stricken with a constricting fear that was almost suffocating him. Never before had they witnessed such violence. Odysseus, Adria and Teo were used to this level of gore, but they weren't accustomed to seeing their fellow hunters being slaughtered like this.

Odysseus reached down and swiftly lifted Shade from the ground by his armored vest to his feet so they would be prepared for the worst.

"Listen boys," he said calmly, "I need you to listen to me very carefully."

Shade and Leon listened closely while struggling to regain their composure.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." He said closely to them, "But you're going to have to be brave because…."

Adria and Teo slowly and silently began readying their weapons.

"Because whatever killed these hunters is still here." Odysseus said ominously.

In an unexpected and primal burst of power the body of another hunter came hurling against one of the trees in front of them. They could hear the flesh and bones be crushed against the trunk of the tree. Odysseus' eyes turned to see the source of the frighteningly powerful pitch. His eyes met with an abnormally large and vicious looking Blongonga. It still had the blood of the hunters staining its white fur and there was an arm hanging from its jaws. The beast's shoulders bobbed up and down heavily with the vicious breath of a man eating monster. It was enormous and intimidating beyond anything that Shade and Leon knew at this point. They could see and hear its breath shooting out violently in short clouds from its nose because of the chilled weather.

The Blongonga dropped the arm from its mouth and bared its fangs horrifyingly at them. The deep and threatening growls coming forth were sending chills down Shade and Leon's bodies. Odysseus slowly raised his arm and began reaching for his greatsword to avoid making sudden movements. The beast's eyes followed his arm all the way until he had a firm grip on the handle. Then, without warning, the Blongonga cried out loudly and Odysseus pulled his sword from his back as quickly as he could. Blood, flesh and saliva shot forward out of the beast's mouth as it dug into the ground and charge Odysseus head on. Odysseus immediately threw his sword in front of him to guard the Blongonga's assault. The monster grabbed hold of his blade with its claws and began pushing forward mercilessly. Odysseus' feet were digging in further as he began sliding backwards against the ground trying to hold the Blongonga back. Shade and Leon both dove out of the way as the Blongonga connected with his sword. Adria sprinted over to the nearest tree and began loading her bowgun. Teo drew his sword and circled to the other side of the Blongonga.

Just as Odysseus was forced to the side of the mountain base's wall and had no more room to slide backwards the Blongonga roared in his face directly, but he only stood firmly. Out of nowhere the only thing that could be heard was Odysseus grunting and the Blongonga growling furiously. Odysseus' arms were using everything they had to hold his ground. Shade and Leon suddenly jumped up and their inner fury told them that Odysseus was in danger. He needed their help or he wasn't going to make it. Shade started loading ammunition into his bowgun as fast as he possibly could. Leon grabbed his iron daggers and ripped them from their scabbard. Right as he began charging the monster, blades in hand, he suddenly heard Teo shout at him.

"No!" Teo commanded.

Leon stopped immediately and was confused.

"But… Odysseus!" He yelled back.

"No." Teo said more softly this time, "Stop."

Leon and Shade's eyes shifted over to Odysseus who still appeared to be struggling to hold the Blongonga back. But they were wrong.

"Get…. OFF!" Odysseus suddenly grunted out and gripped the handle of his blade even tighter.

Vicious, blood stained iron teeth shot out from the edge of his greatsword and impaled the Blongonga's clawed hands. The beast forcefully pulled away from his blade and hopped back several feet with gaping wounds on its claws. Shade and Leon had no idea that such deadly teeth were hidden within Odysseus' greatsword. With a simple switch on the handle his seemingly ineffective weapon became a deadly, flesh ripping tool of immense power.

Odysseus swung his sword out in front of him holding it with both hands in an offensive stance ready to fight. A gunshot could be heard from somewhere to the right and the Blongonga was suddenly struck directly with a round from Adria's bowgun. The round went deep into the beast's right arm, but the attack wasn't over. The wound suddenly exploded violently causing blood to platter against the wall of the mountain. Its arm wasn't blown off but it was severely damaged now.

The Blongonga's eyes suddenly wandered over to Leon, who was standing blankly with his blades lowered. He had been watching Odysseus and Adria fight up until now. The moment the beast's eyes locked onto Leon it roared and began charging him. Leon panicked and crossed his blades in front of his torso to block the attack, clamping his eyes shut since dodging wasn't an option. But before he could feel the impact of the Blongonga's claws going into his flesh he was suddenly grabbed from the side and pulled away. When he reopened his eyes he was being held by Teo several feet away from the Blongonga.

"Keep your eyes open next time." Teo said as he smiled and placed a firm hand on Leon's shoulder.

Leon looked up into his eyes and smiled, but his smile soon disappeared as a shadow grew over both of them. Leon's eyes shot open as the Blongonga towered over Teo's backside. It raised a claw in attempts to swipe and take Teo's head clean off. But Teo turned and faced the beast directly, completely unafraid, peering into its eyes. The Blongonga's claw came down hard like a thunderstorm towards Teo. Leon thought for sure that he was done for because of the power behind the beast's swipe. He fell to his rear and clamped his eyes shut again and heard a loud smash that caused him to stagger. But the sound of Teo falling didn't follow the loud crash; only the sound of the Blongonga growling. When Leon opened his eyes he saw Teo with his shield raised up above his head, holding the Blongonga's claw at bay with a single arm. Teo was completely unafraid as he gripped his sword tightly in the other hand, let out a loud grunt of strength and swung upward, severing the Blongonga's injured arm completely. Teo's Velocidrome sword sliced clean through the monster's bone and flesh. The beast flailed back in pain as blood shot like a fountain from where its arm was once connected to its body. The arm fell hard to the ground and a pull of blood formed around it. Adria plugged another explosive shot into the Blongonga's chest and made it stagger back in pain even further.

It was now becoming clear to Shade and Leon. Odysseus, Adria and Teo truly were great. They were in complete control of this battle because of how strong and experienced they were. Odysseus stepped forward in front of Shade with his blade raised towards the Blongonga.

"Don't be afraid, Shade," Odysseus said proudly, "I'll protect you with my life. I promise! We're a team and we look out for one another."

Shade listened to Odysseus' words closely as he aimed carefully at the Blongonga.

"Do you remember what I told you when we first met?" Odysseus asked him, "Remember when I told you what it is to be a Monster Hunter? It's all about protecting those you hold in hear!" Odysseus called out and slammed his hand against his own armored chest.

The Blongonga leaped forward and began swiping at Leon repeatedly. Leon dodged the onslaught and slashed away at the monster's rib cage every opportunity he got while occasionally crossing his daggers and blocking the claws. Shade watched Leon harness his training and fight back against the beast.

"Now it's time to honor that purpose, Shade!" Odysseus shouted.

A sudden fire erupted in Shade's heart as he raised Valkyrie Fire and loaded his most powerful ammunition into the barrel. With the deadly aim that he had acquired through a week of constant training, he fired directly towards the Blongonga's skull and shot its head clean from its shoulders. The recoil of the blast sent him sliding back a few steps. Smoke danced at the end of his barrel and the beast fell lifelessly against the ground in a pool of blood. Shade was out of breath from the sudden rush in his body. Leon sheathed his blades and began walking back over towards the others. Odysseus returned his blade to his back and the teeth returned within. Adria and Teo rejoined quickly rejoined them as well.

Once they were all standing together Odysseus placed his hands on both Shade and Leon's shoulders and smiled down at them proudly.

"You've both made me very proud." He said softly, "I want you to know that it's okay to be afraid. There's nothing wrong with having the will to survive. But you both showed me back there that you have the ability to become something great."

Odysseus placed his finger on Leon's chest above his heart.

"Your hearts are strong and full of a fire that can never go out. Now…."

Shade and Leon both listened intently to his words.

"You're Monster Hunters."


	4. Chapter 4: The Beginning of the End

Shade and Leon sat by the lake near the mountain base camp and took in the fresh air of the environment. The lake's crystal clear water reflected the summit of the mountain in the distance; a beautiful sight. The mountain base was the only place they knew outside of Pokke's village. They would occasionally go fishing for fresh food and water or explore the mountain base for various materials.

While they sat in front of the lake to relax, Odysseus began examining the Blongonga corpse. Not so much to carve for materials, but to examine its physical state. His eyes occasionally drifted over to the dead, mangled hunters as well. He shuttered at their faces. The Blongonga was much larger and seemed more vicious than a typical subject of the species. What it did to those hunters was…. Monstrous. These were just small observations running in his thoughts at first, but then Odysseus noticed something that he failed to see in battle.

After gaining a closer look at the body, he saw a rusted metal ring around the neck of the fallen beast that looked nearly bolted into the flesh of its neck.

"A shackle…?" He mumbled to himself trying not to draw the attention of the others.

He moved some of the fur out of the way with his hand to get a closer look. It was clear as day now. The Blongonga had a shackle around its hulking neck with a small, broken chain dangling directly beneath the jaw. He grabbed a hold of the chain to examine it in his hand. It was thick, heavy and rusted over with blood. Odysseus couldn't imagine even trying to break free from such a chain himself, or any creature for that matter.

His thoughts wandered over to the possible negatives of the situation. Maybe he was overreacting, or maybe his stomach was telling him the truth to be discovered. Was the Blongonga released from some imprisonment? Maybe it was the sick intentions of some psychopath to let this creature feed on the flesh of young hunters. In those regards, what if the beast had reached the village?

Just as Odysseus was ready to dismiss his false paranoia, he noticed something on the iron shackle that sent a paralyzing chill down his spine. From underneath his hand, he saw what appeared to be a symbol engraved into the iron. It was a symbol that he had only seen once before, and it meant serious trouble for all of them. His gut told him that something horrible has been set into motion, but he wasn't sure. What if they were indeed getting involved in something they shouldn't be? Odysseus began having brief flashbacks of a far off memory as his eyes stayed locked on the symbol. He was young, very young. He was just a boy in his village and he was making his way to the armory to look for his grandfather. But when he arrived, he saw his grandfather having an intense argument with the blacksmith. Voices were being raised and he was very angry. The blacksmith was Dante, who currently lives in Pokke. He used to live in Kokoto when Odysseus was very young, but he has since moved on. Odysseus' grandfather was a great and well-known blacksmith to Minegarde just like Dante.

"_I said no! Those inhuman bastards won't touch our home with their damnable business!"_ His grandfather shouted.

Odysseus tried to bring out more pieces of the flashback as his eyes stayed focused on the symbol.

"_I'm afraid I don't have a choice."_ Dante said calmly.

"_No! They're nothing but a bunch of murderous thieves! They deal in illegal monster trade and they won't stop until we have no profit or we're all dead!" _Odysseus' grandfather shouted, slamming his hands on the table in front of him.

"_I'm sorry, old friend…." _Dante mumbled, "_But I have no choice. Please don't interfere any further."_

The last piece of the flashback that Odysseus could retrieve from his memories was lying on the floor of his burning home. His vision was blurry and his head was struggling to lift itself from the ground. He suddenly remembered seeing a strange letter on his grandfather's desk, which was the last thing he remembered before awaking to the flames and smoke. He was too young to understand most of the words, but at the bottom of the letter was the same symbol, stamped in what looked like blood. He remembered his grandfather picking up the letter quickly and concealing it within his jacket. He never saw it again. His mind drifted back to the situation at hand. When his eyes finally gained some focus he saw hooded, shadowy figures standing around his grandfather in their burning home. His grandfather was on his knees in front of the figures with a look of despair in his eyes. One of the figures held a sinister, sickle-shaped weapon in its hand. Odysseus reached out for his grandfather with a quivering arm before watching him get quickly beheaded. His head fell to the ground and rolled off to the side and the figures retreated from the house like ghosts in the night.

These memories began disturbing Odysseus until a sudden pat on the back caught him off guard and made him jump slightly, forcefully ending the flashback like a dream. Upon seeing Odysseus' startled expression, Teo retracted his hand from Odysseus' shoulder.

"Everything alright? I just wanted to let you know that I think we found the answer to those mysterious slaughters. What do you think?"

"Go get Adria and the boys." Odysseus said swiftly as he pulled out his carving dagger and broke the shackle, ripping it away from the Blongonga's neck and grunting as he did so. He then hooked the bloody piece on his tasset and faced Teo again, "Things just became a lot worse, and if my stomach is correct…." He paused for a moment and looked back down at the dead Blongonga, "They're only going to get much worse from here."

"But…." Teo mumbled out but Odysseus had already begun walking back up the pine hill towards Pokke village.

Adria came walking over to Teo, "Where's he going?" She asked while watching Odysseus trek the hill.

"He thinks that there's something wrong." Teo replied ominously.

"Wrong…?" Adria asked in confusion, "But…. There's nothing else here." She paused as Teo turned to face her.

"I'm not sure what's going through his head right now, but the look on his face tells me that it isn't good." Teo said sternly, "So go get the boys and let's catch up to him."

"Yeah…." Adria complied softly and went to go get Shade and Leon.

Teo caught up to Odysseus and stared at the bloody, rusted shackle on his tasset. He hesitated to ask questions as not to make Odysseus more uncomfortable. His curiosity would just have to wait until they reached the village again.

"Hey! Boys!" Adria called out to Shade and Leon who were now standing by the lake preparing for their next objective. They looked up at her on the hill.

"It's time to go home!" She waved with a false smile. She too was highly curious and equally nervous about Odysseus' unease.

Shade and Leon ran up to the hill without hesitation. Adria grabbed their hands and helped them up onto the mountain hill one by one to make it back to the base camp.

"We're going home?" Shade asked confused.

Before Adria could answer him Leon cut in, "Awe, but why? Aren't we going to go take down that nasty Bulldrome now? We can win! I know it!"

Adria smiled and relaxed her shoulders at his enthusiasm. She placed a gentle hand on Leon's head.

"Sorry, kiddo. But there are more important things to attend to right now."

Leon's eyes drifted to the ground in disappointment, "Damn…." He mumbled.

Then his eyes returned to Adria's and he continued, "But I guess you're right."

"Hm?" Adria responded confused.

Leon looked over at the mutilated hunters, "I guess reporting this accident to the guild is more important than hunting a Bulldrome, right?"

Adria looked over at the hunters, then back at Leon with her false smile.

"Y-Yeah…." She mumbled, "It is."

Adria knew that this wasn't the reason they were leaving, but she didn't have the answers to the situation herself, so she falsely agreed with Leon to keep both of them from asking questions.

The five of them reached Pokke quickly. Odysseus didn't bother informing the guild master of their encounter, or the fact that they didn't rid the mountains of the Bulldrome. He had enough on his mind at the moment. Odysseus walked straight through the gathering hall and continued heading towards the armory to speak with Dante. He would have answers, and he would be able to identify the symbol as well as the shackle's species of ore. Odysseus needed answers more than anything else right now. Only he knew the depth of danger they were in at this point.

"So what's the story behind his sword?" Shade asked Adria enthusiastically.

"Oh, you mean Odysseus?" She replied.

"Yeah!" Leon cut in rudely, "That was so awesome back there! I had no idea there were giant, metal teeth inside!" He yelped excitedly.

Adria chuckled to herself, "It's called the Lacerator Blade." She explained, "Although it's one of the heaviest blades in the iron family, Odysseus has made it an extension of his body. He's been using that blade for almost ten years now."

Shade and Leon listened closely to the epic story behind Odysseus' magnificent weapon.

"The unique thing about his weapon," she continued, "Is that he doesn't have to expose the deadly teeth inside to bring down his enemy."

"What? That's so cool!" Shade called out, holding his fists up in front of his face.

"That's right," Adria said with a cocky smile as if she were bragging about her own weapon, "The sheer weight of the blade can crush the skull of a monster if he puts enough power behind the swing."

"I want one, I want one!" Leon hopped up and down excitedly.

Adria put Leon in a rough headlock with her right arm and kept walking as he struggled to break free.

"Oh, please! You don't have the money, the materials OR the skill to use such a weapon. Keep dreaming!"

The three of them started laughing together as she released him from her grip. But their laughter was short lived as Adria accidentally bumped in something solid. She wasn't paying attention to wear she was going because she was simply following Odysseus and Teo. She stumbled backwards and when she opened her eyes she looked upon a large man clad in thick armor. He was tall. Very tall. Much taller than Odysseys or Teo. He was wearing standard steel armor. It's toughened blue leathers and thick plates of steel served as good protection and told Adria that he was experienced once she saw the signs of battle damage. He was equipped with an enormous lance and shield on his back. Adria was the keenest on equipment detail out of them all and she recognized his weapon as a Rampart. It was a powerful weapon that must have taken a great deal of money and ores to craft. He was obviously near her rank but not quite the same. His weapon showed signs of battle as well.

The man was smiling down at her with a somewhat offensive expression on his face. His bowl-shaped haircut and scraggy facial hair were a bit much to look at.

"Well hello there," he said charmingly, "And who might you be?"

His voice sounded very confident and greedy. Shade and Leon exchanged weird expressions from behind Adria as she answered him.

"Adria's the name," she said without being too friendly, "And who are you?"

His smile grew as he took a step closer to her, making her back up a little, "Call me Bishop!" He said with a loud and obnoxious confidence about himself.

"Eh…. Right." Adria said awkwardly as she took another step back, "Well, um…. Bishop! It was nice meeting you, but we're actually on our way to…." Adria was cut off as Bishop began laughing hysterically at her.

"Tell you what, my lovely Adria," he said, making Adria cringe for a second, "Why don't you ditch these two losers and have a walk with a real hunter?"

Shade raised an eyebrow in disgust and walked forward.

"Hey listen bu-!" But before Shade could finish his lash of words Bishop slugged him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.

"Hey!" Leon yelled, helping Shade off the ground. Shade balled up his fist and ran the back of his hand across his jaw bone. It was starting to swell and the skin was slightly broken causing him to bleed a little. He was gritting his teeth together in anger.

"Keep your mouth shut, kid. The grownups are talking." Bishop said demandingly.

"Now, about the walk, my sweet…." Right before he could utter her name again, Adria's fist came bolting forward and she smashed Bishop right in his mouth. He fell hard backwards and held his mouth in pain on the ground.

"SHUT UP!" She yelled at him angrily, "For one, there's no way in hell I'd EVER want a damn thing to do with a disgusting bully like you, go it? Finally, if you ever lay another hand on one of my friends I will PERSONALLY slice your abdomen and tie you down in the forest to bleed out and be eaten alive. GOT IT?"

Bishop stood up from his rear and laughed as he wiped his lower lip clean of the blood running down to his jaw. Shade and Leon were still in awe at Adria's combustible temper and incredible sense of honor amongst her friends. Bishop bravely took a step closer to her as she balled up her fist in case a second jab was needed. He laughed at her as if her punch never happened.

"Hahahaha! I honestly don't see why you feel the need to hang around these putrid brats, but maybe I'll just have to knock some sense into you!" He said angrily as he raised his open hand and drew back to slap her across the face.

Shade and Leon surely thought she was going to be slapped, but Bishop's arm was swiftly caught from his back side before he could swing.

"Everything alright over here?" Teo's familiar voice called out bravely as he held Bishop's forearm tightly in his grip.

"Yeah, we're fine." Adria said with a smile and a confident tone.

Bishop ripped his arm from Teo's grip and turned to face him. He was much taller than Teo and attempted to belittle him with his physical stature. Teo simply peered up into his eyes unafraid of his towering height.

"How about picking on someone your own size?" Teo said fearlessly.

"Hah! Hardly." Bishop said with a small bit of blood still running down his lower lip, "I don't see a man of my size or glory around!"

"Then I guess you'll just have to settle for me." An unfamiliar voice called out from the crowded market.

As all of their heads turned they looked upon a man clad in a guild knight uniform. He wore flawless white undergarments with a black guild knight waist tasset and a black torso cover that showed his authority. Strapped to his back was a bizarre bowgun. It was small and made of dark wood. It looked almost as if it was meant to be wielded with one arm. The structure looked almost of flint lock origin. A pirate's gun? One of his eyes was covered by a patch. His hair was dark and shaggy.

"Oh? An enforcer of the guild has come to the rescue? Well I'm afraid your presence is unnecessary, my good man." Bishop said sarcastically in attempts to make him leave, "I haven't done anything wrong. Now shoo."

Bishop's words became his bane as the guild officer stepped forward and looked him up and down. Officers of the guild were typically disrespected around various parts of Minegarde, but insulting them directly never ended well for anyone.

"It seems to me that this woman here doesn't want your company. Am I right?" He said sternly with authority.

"Sounds about right." Adria said with a smile as she turned around and hoisted Shade from the ground by his hand. He was still aggravated and glaring at Bishop.

"Well then. By my authority as an enforcer of the guild, I hear by order you to distance yourself from this woman and her company. If you refuse, I'll drag you to the dungeon myself. Is that clear?"

Bishop threw his head back and laughed at the guild knight who was no taller than Teo, "Oh please! What are you going to do? You silly little toy soldier! Go find some naughty children and give them a stern talking to or something!"

This aggravated the guild knight as he stepped forward with a stone solid expression and gripped Bishop by his neck guard. He pulled Bishop down to face level and looked him directly in the eye. Bishop was thrown off by his strength and began sweating nervously as the knight glared at him point blank.

"Listen here," The knight said ominously, "As long as I serve this guild, you and everyone else in this village will follow what I say, understand? That means if I tell you to leave these people alone, you do as I say and take your distance. The next time I have to make my orders clear, my gun will be speaking for me. Now get lost."

The guild knight harshly released Bishop's neck hard and continued glaring at him. Bishop looked back and forth between Adria and the knight nervously.

"Eh…. Y-You're not even worth the trouble you cause, woman!" He stuttered out ignorantly as he stood aside and allowed them to pass him.

"Whatever." Adria mumbled as she and Teo walked past him like nothing. Leon followed them, but Shade stopped directly in front of Bishop and looked up at him in disgust.

"Moron." He mumbled as he jabbed past him with his armored shoulder, knocking Bishop back a little.

The guild knight watched them walk past him one at a time then returned his gaze to Bishop. When Bishop looked over and saw the knight eyeing him again he jumped slightly and began walking in the opposite direction.

The knight watched Bishop walk away until he disappeared in the busy market of Pokke. But then he returned his watchful gaze to Adria, Teo, Shade and Leon. He wondered why a couple of young kids like them were doing with older, experience hunters. They all stopped behind Odysseus, who was standing at the counter of the armory. The guild knight saw the bloody shackle hanging from his tasset and became skeptical at the sight of it. He decided to move in and watch them closer without letting them know.

As the five of them waited at the counter for Dante to show himself from the back Odysseus began thinking of those strange memories again. He knew that Dante would have answers to the symbol.

"Ah! A customer!" Dante called out happily as he came from a room filled with the fires of industry.

"So what are we interested in toda-?" Odysseus tossed the shackle onto the counter in front of him before Dante could finish his question. It made a loud clank that awoke the sleeping Felyne that casually rested on the counter's wooden surface every day.

Dante raised an eyebrow and began rubbing the back of his head with a confused face as he grabbed the shackle and slightly rotated it with his wrist to examine it.

"I need you to tell me what kind of ore it's made out of." Odysseys asked, "And more importantly," Odysseys leaned in closely and Dante leaned in as well to respect the privacy of his request, "I know you have the answers to the symbol engraved on its surface."

Dante's eyes shot open in shock as he rotated the shackle once more in his hand. His eyes met with the symbol and before he knew it his arm was quivering. A drop of sweat ran down the side of his face and he swallowed hard.

Shade and Leon looked at each other from behind Adria and Teo. They recognized his expression instantly. It was the same face that he had given when Shade asked about the trap door within his shop. Leon nodded slightly at Shade to symbolize that he remembered the expression and that something was definitely not right.

Once again, the terrifying howl of a shadowed creature echoed through Dante's head. It screeched louder and louder and in the blink of an eye he dropped the shackle hard on the table and stumbled back a step.

"So you _do_ know of it." Odysseys said sternly while grabbing the shackle from the table again.

Dante was looking around frantically as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and regained his composure.

"C-Come with me…. We will have to discuss this somewhere…. Private." He mumbled out.

Odysseus, Adria and Teo began following Dante as he walked back into his shop. The lazy Felyne sleeping on the counter kept one eyeball on them as they walked by while the other eye stayed closed. Adria cutely scratched behind the cat's ears with her hand, causing it to melt all over the table and per affectionately as she followed them.

But Teo wasn't sure about allowing Shade and Leon to hear whatever was about to happen between Dante and Odysseus.

"Whoa, whoa, boys. As much as I hate to say it, you'll have to sit this adventure out for the time being. I'm sorry."

Their expressions ignited as they both simultaneously yelled, "NO WAY!"

Teo jumped back in shock as they yelled at him.

Shade balled up his fists and raised them in front of his face, "Come on, Teo! We're a team! You know it as well as all of us. We're in this together now!"

"Yeah!" Leon agreed, "We're in this together! You can't leave us out now of all times!"

Teo's expression turned into a sympathetic grin as he relaxed his shoulders and leaned in with his hand by his mouth to emphasize the secrecy of the matter, "Okay, but listen. Whatever happens now is new to us all," Shade and Leon listened intently without uttering a word, "and I'm not even sure myself what's about to happen. So make sure you keep quite while Odysseus and the blacksmith are talking. Understand?"

Shade and Leon simply nodded their heads in confirmation like soldiers and followed Teo into the back with the others.

The guild knight, who was still watching closely from the market, was intrigued by this event. His eyebrows raised as he watched them casually walk back into the armory. Surely there was something happening that no one was supposed to know about. Mysterious attacks happening around the village? Rumors of an impending doom? Shadowy figures intervening in guild business as of late? He knew that he was on to something. The knight slowly and casually walked back into the armory himself without being seen by a single soul other than the lazy Felyne napping on the counter with its one, watchful eye.


End file.
